A fear of reporting freely
A free and critical press is one of the foundations of democracy. But the press must also behave properly. In Uganda we still lack both ways. It is so difficult to scrutinize errors and any possible political views for fear of airing out issues that might be looked at negatively by the state.
Of course, not all stories are written and produced in the course of a single working day. "Features" can take days and even weeks to research, write, record, edit and produce. But even with the availability of enough time, it often happens that a story is never broadcasted – reason being that it could spark up the government agents to threaten closure of our radio as a result of safe guarding government interests.
In 2008, our radio signal was switched off after 22 minutes, when the FDC opposition leader Col. Kizza Besigye was talking live in our substation studio based in Gulu. Gulu is in the northern part of the country which has suffered from rebel activities since 1987 to date. The talk show was meant to encourage the internally displaced locals that were still residing in the camps to go back to their villages. This program was being covered country wide with the aid of the satellite links that Radio Maria Uganda has in the different substations. The signal failure lasted about three hours after which we were switched on again. When we called the Uganda Broadcasting council offices no clear information was given to us.
Last year in September, Uganda Broadcasting Council called our station warning us not to air out any cultural views and comments. During that time the government was having problems with the central cultural leaders. As a result, four radio stations were closed down by the broadcasting council. Three of them have been put back on air but one station is still off up to now. At the same time two journalists were arrested and assaulted.
To my view, journalist should at all times strive to separate her own opinion from factual news. But this still lacks in Uganda. For some people it’s an occupational hazard to be put through the grinding wheels of the press now and again. Politicians, pop stars and trade unions careerists are usually rather relaxed about it, because they eventually develop calluses on their soul. However, with my nine years of experience as a journalist in Uganda, I find it very difficult to report or to interview common people. If a journalist wants a youth perspective in a story, most young people are inaccessible and have a phobia for the press. So, as journalists we must really follow the right canons in order to strive for press freedom.
Catherine Laryem
Production Coordinator
Radio Maria Uganda Main station
